The Starr investigation: At a glance
Thursday's developments:
- Independent Counsel Ken Starr's report to Congress outlines a case for impeaching President Bill Clinton on four grounds: perjury, obstruction of justice, witness-tampering and abuse of power, two sources told CNN.
- Clinton's legal team meets with Judiciary Chairman Henry Hyde and Rep. John Conyers seeking prior access to Starr report. Hyde denied their requests.
- The House Rules Committee meets Thursday afternoon to work out details of releasing the report. A full House vote is not expected until Friday on the committee's resolution.
- Public release of parts of the report could start between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Friday via the Internet. These include a 25-page introduction, a 280-page narrative and a 140-page section on rationale offered by Starr for impeachment. It will be available on at least two government sites: http://www.house.gov/icreport and http://Thomas.loc.gov/icreport.
- Some details of the Starr report are emerging: It alleges Clinton lied under oath in his testimony in the Paula Jones lawsuit and before Starr's grand jury, committed witness-tampering and obstruction of justice in conversations he had with Monica Lewinsky and Betty Currie and abused his powers by using official White House staff and services to deny he had sex with Lewinsky, to smear Starr's office and stall his investigation. Sources tell CNN the report deals "almost entirely" with Lewinsky.
- Clinton again apologizes for his actions to Senate Democratic leaders and members of his cabinet.
- First lady Hillary Clinton has no current plans to comment further on the
scandal, officials say.
- Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) calls for Clinton's resignation, saying he should spare the country "this ordeal" of impeachment.
- House Speaker Newt Gingrich asks members to refrain from making any comments "personally offensive to the president" in their deliberations on the issue of impeachment.
- Speaking for Democrats, House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt stresses the need for fairness, objectivity and proceeding "in exactly the right way."
- White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles delivers a pep talk to senior staff members, reminding them polls show Clinton policies still have overwhelming popular support.
- The White House emphasizes Starr's report contains only allegations and one side of the story.
- White House aides plan an aggressive push to persuade Congress and the American people that Clinton's behavior with Lewinsky does not warrant impeachment.
- Vice President Al Gore defends Clinton at a luncheon in Washington. "His
vision and his leadership are shaping all aspects of this nation's recovery.
He is my friend, and he is our president. And his policies have been
manifestly good for the United States of America."
- In a speech, Clinton says he is asking the people he works with "for
their understanding, their forgiveness and their commitment not to let the
events of the moment in Washington deter us from doing the peoples' work here."
- Paula Jones' husband, Steven Jones, tells CNN, "If Bill Clinton could have
taken care of this a long time ago with a quiet apology, it would have been all
water under the bridge ... He alone is responsible for the route it has taken."
- Susan McDougal, on trial in California in an unrelated case, tells
reporters, "I must say I am not surprised that the report asks for President
Clinton's impeachment. I know Kenneth Starr and the man that I know wrote the
conclusion on day one and spent the next five years filling it in."
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